Izakaya Yuzuki hopes Japanese comfort food can break the curse of 598 Guerrero

Yuko Hayashi isn’t too worried about the recent history at 598 Guerrero, probably better known as the corner space that has seen plenty of failed and/or aborted concepts over the last few years.

Instead, the first-time restaurateur is hoping that a 49-seat Japanese izakaya is a concept that can stick to the seemingly prized location across the street from Tartine Bakery and Delfina.

“It doesn’t bother me. It’s up to me to make it happen. There’s no Japanese restaurant in [that area],” she says.

Hayashi is planning to open Izakaya Yuzuki there, hopefully by October (the exact timing is up to the liquor license gods). As the name implies, it’s going to be an izakaya, but Hayashi says she wants to make it very traditional — not like the modern versions found in Tokyo (which she says bear similarities to places like Nojo). With a limited budget, the physical space won’t change too much.

The chef will be Takashi Saito, who comes from Ame and worked there with Nojo’s Greg Dunmore. There will be an izakaya menu, highlighted by grilled and fried items. Whenever possible, things will be made in-house from scratch — for example, the tofu. As Hayashi puts it, it will all be “more like the old approach”

For Hayashi, the restaurant is the culmination of three years of looking for a space. A CPA by trade, she lost her job three years ago, and decided to follow her dream of owning a restaurant. But it’s hard to get a loan nowadays, let alone find a space in the Mission.

Everyday, Hayashi passed by 598 Guerrero on her way home. When the Mission Beach cafe deal fell through in February, she put on the full court press. After plenty of negotiations, she finally got the space. And thus was born Izakaya Yuzuki.

“‘Zuki’ means moon, and ‘yu’ means comfort, healing. So it’s a healing moon,” she says. “My concept is people come to my restaurant after a day of hard work, and I give comfort.”